Staff Reports
Two assassination plots against former President Donald Trump have revealed a shocking level of incompetence within federal law enforcement agencies. Just when Americans thought the FBI and Secret Service couldn’t get any worse, they managed to drop the ball again on the very serious matter of protecting a former president—especially one who also happens to be the current GOP nominee.
In one particularly baffling episode, a Pakistani man was allowed into the U.S. despite being flagged for plotting to take Trump out. Meanwhile, after another would-be assassin was identified, he slipped through the fingers of security like a greased pig. It seems that, for these agencies, active threats against a former president are merely suggestions rather than urgent warnings that require immediate action. A Republican senator expressed disillusionment at what he perceived as a lackadaisical attitude towards security measures, reminding the world that these are not ordinary times. Apparently, putting a little more effort into protecting a hugely consequential figure like Trump doesn’t even register as a priority.
Then there’s Ryan Routh, the latest would-be assailant whose ominous presence at a golf course should have raised a few eyebrows. Instead of being met with a heavy security response, Routh was allowed to lurk around for 12 hours, gun in hand, while monitoring Trump. Quite the oversight for an agency tasked with national security! The agencies had been warned about Routh multiple times since 2019, yet they acted like the tips were just benign emails collecting dust in an inbox. The lack of proactive measures indicates either gross incompetence or a systemic issue within the coordination of security operations.
One revealing perspective comes from a former Navy SEAL who lamented that America was fortunate these attempts were amateurish. If skilled hitmen were involved, it might have been a different story altogether. He suggested that these incidents might send alarming messages both to foreign adversaries and domestic enemies of Trump, who might be encouraged to try their luck against a figure they despise. By failing to act decisively, federal law enforcement had effectively put up a ‘Help Wanted’ sign for any would-be assassins out there.
Trump assassination plots expose FBI, Secret Service vulnerabilities and failures !!! 🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯 https://t.co/T3cd7Q1d0x
— Gloria Hull (@GloriaH60109557) September 18, 2024
As if this wasn’t enough to warrant a thorough investigation, there’s Asif Raza Merchant, another suspicious individual who not only received a free pass into the U.S. from Iran but was also implicated in a conspiracy to assassinate Trump. The FBI reportedly flagged him but then allowed him to wander off free as a bird after brief questioning. Anyone keeping score at home might wonder if the FBI has taken a mental vacation in the wake of rising threats against a former president. The latest incidents paint a picture of a federal workforce that is either overwhelmed or uninterested in doing its actual job: protecting national figures and preventing threats to their safety.
Urgent questions about the efficacy and seriousness of U.S. intelligence agencies linger, particularly as they grapple with obvious shortcomings. It seems that when it comes to protecting Trump, federal law enforcement might need to step back and take a long, hard look in the mirror—preferably one that doesn’t reflect a beckoning “Welcome” mat for assassins.
